( 0 ) ( 0 )
Shone
Kirkpatrick

This was not an easy away fixture as Norcross have a very respectable home record. This did not deter Villa who took the initiative from the start. With two minutes played Rhenden Pillay broke down the right only for his dangerous cross to be cleared. The visitors continued their early pressure and good work on the left from Rhys Crombie and Matt Conway created an opening for Elliot Dunn who shot over the bar.

Villa were at times playing some sublime football with clever interchanges allowing them the greater possession. On eighteen minutes Ian Kirkpatrick headed just wide following a corner. The Villa pressure was gradually building and on twenty eight minutes only a last gasp tackle on the edge of the area prevented Sam Shone from opening the scoring. A minute later Ian Kirkpatrick met a dangerous cross from the right only to see his header saved.

Norcross were competing well but the chances were falling to Villa, Elliot Dunn caused problems down the left, a cross into the box had to be scrambled over the bar. Rhenden Pillay also had success down the left, his well delivered cross was just missed at the far post by Sam Shone. Villa did have the ball in the net on thirty nine minutes when Mick Bradshaw released Ian Kirkpatrick, only for the effort to be ruled offside. Villa continued to press for the remainder of the half without making the breakthrough their overall play deserved.

The home side must have started the second half have feeling they could take something from the game, but Villa punished them two minutes after the restart when Craig Chambers picked the ball up on the edge of the area, his flick released Sam Shone who made no mistake with a low shot into the bottom corner. The visitors were lifted by the goal and came close again four minutes later when a great ball from Ian Kirkpatrick was only just missed by Rhenden Pillay, who minutes later almost got the second when set up by Elliot Dunn, but his shot was saved by the Norcross keeper.

At this point it was very much one way traffic and the Villa pressure was rewarded on fifty eight minutes. Sam Shone broke down the right, his pinpoint cross was met by Ian Kirkpatrick who beat the keeper with a spectacular diving header. The visitors were now looking very comfortable but were put under some pressure on seventy minutes when an innocuous ball in from the left was somehow turned in at the near post.

To their credit the visitors retained their composure and prevented any further serious threats on their goal. The remainder of the game was played out with Villa comfortably in control and while the final score line was close the result was never in doubt as Villa registered an impressive away win. The defence was outstanding and the midfield controlled the game. There were a number of outstanding performances, but man of the match must go to Ian Kirkpatrick who worked tirelessly driving forward and in the latter stages protecting the defence.

Team - Gibbs, C.Chambers, Brown, O'Loughlin, Crombie, Bradshaw, ( Parkin
) Kirkpatrick, M.Conway, Dunn, ( Winstanley ) Pillay, Shone, ( Thompson )